


Rebel and Resist: A Star Wars Story

by girl_undercover



Series: Rebel and Resist [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Batuu mentions, Black Squadron - Freeform, Expanded Universe mentions, Major Original Character(s), Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Original Character(s), Phasma Spoilers maybe, Spies, Star Tours, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25312798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girl_undercover/pseuds/girl_undercover
Summary: Eliana Dustpar joined the Resistance hoping to fly for a cause she believed in, maybe for some adventure along the way. She didn't know what she was getting into. A mysterious stranger, a complete change in identity, meeting new allies, and the return of old enemies- the Resistance is more dangerous than she could've possibly imagined.note: this story originally appeared on Wattpad, as written by myself.
Series: Rebel and Resist [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833511





	1. Opportunity Knocks

Eliana Dustpar has a lot of time to think. 

Sometimes, she feels, too much. 

This particular afternoon, her thinking is set inside the cockpit of an X-wing, her favorite spot D'Qar.

Her mind has drifted towards someone she hasn't seen in a long time. An old friend from back home on Batuu. They were so similar, once. Now? Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. It's strange, how much people can change. 

In a hypothetical scenario she's played out countless times before, Eliana never left Batuu. In another, she kept flying for Star Tours late into her life. In more, she remained close with her childhood best friend. 

However, none of those are reality. She's with the Resistance now, and it's a more interesting life than she'd ever imagined she'd have. Dangerous. Scary. But interesting. 

She stares off into the distance, wrapped up in her own mind. She isn't paying attention to the world she's in, but ones that could have been. 

"Eliana?" 

She snaps back into reality, peering down to see Poe Dameron looking up at her. 

Why is he of all people here, talking to her? He's the best pilot in the Resistance- surely he's got something better to do. 

"Hello?" she asks, confused. 

He darts his eyes around, concern etched on his face. Eliana can tell that something is definitely wrong, although he's trying to hide it. Interesting. She wonders why. 

Poe stares up at her. "Could you come down from there? I've got something I want to talk to you about." 

What could he mean? Their interactions before this were few and far between, only a few hellos in passing. Just the occasional small talk. 

Still, he's piqued her interest. She jumps out of the cockpit, boots hitting the concrete. 

"What's the deal?" 

"We'll talk somewhere more private," he says, hushed. 

Something is seriously wrong if he wants to not only talk to Eliana, but talk to her in secret. 

"I know a good place," she suggests. 

Eliana leads Poe to a small crevice tucked near the edge of the Resistance base, one where she's contemplated time and time again. They slip in. 

"So what's this all about?"

He sighs. "I've got a problem." 

"Obviously." 

"And I think if anyone can help, it'll be you." 

Eliana furrows her eyebrows. "I'm not too sure about that. I'm your first choice? Of all people?" she asks skeptically. 

"Hear me out." He sounds somewhat desperate, which intrigues Eliana enough to keep her silent. 

"I've got this squadron on a pretty confidential mission, and we have some... concerns. Can I trust you?"

Eliana is reluctant, despite the fact that this could be a great opportunity for her to learn more about flying from the best of the best. He's being suspicious, to say the least.

"If I were you, I'm not sure I would trust me. We barely know each other." 

"That's the point." 

Huh. Whatever response she was expecting, it wasn't that.

"Well, I think I'm trustworthy." 

"Good. I need you to fly with me on my next mission. Someone close to me has an ulterior motive, and I'm trying to root them out."

Eliana raises an eyebrow. "Ulterior motive?" 

"Someone in the group is a spy. Who? I don't know." Poe thinks for a moment. "But I have to find out soon, or we're all screwed."

A spy? A spy could ruin everything Eliana had ever felt safe around. Bring down the Resistance, and it's members. Drawing her to the Resistance, only to smite it. She couldn't be betrayed again. 

"There can't be a spy in the Resistance," she says, somewhat dumbfounded. 

"Well, there is, and you can't tell anyone. We can't have anyone freaking out." His eyes widen with realization. "Don't let Organa know I told you this. If she asks, say... say we just needed some extra help."

She smirks. Hopefully, Poe isn't banking his career on not telling anyone. "You know she's going to find out, right?"

"Oh, definitely. I just want to go as long as possible without dealing with the consequences." 

Eliana laughs. "Well, I won't say a thing. What's else do I need to know?"

Poe launches back into an explanation. "Our main goal is hunting down the location of a map. A map that leads to the location of Luke Skywalker." 

Eliana has heard the stories of Luke Skywalker. A rebel hero. A Jedi Knight. A fantastic pilot. She never thought of them as more than myth.

"Why?" 

Poe is puzzled. "Why? Because he's a hero, a legend. Leia's brother. Wherever he is, he's an asset to the Resistance." 

Although Eliana has her doubts, there has to be some reason behind their quest. The stories, although embellished over time, have to take root in reality. 

"Quite frankly, I still don't have a clue why you're asking me," she admits. 

"No need to be humble," says Poe. "You've got skill. I've seen you fly. Could take a few more risks, and there's some room to grow, but still. You've got the groundwork to make a pilot for the ages, and you're already great." He pauses, and Eliana waits for him to say more. "Well, and you're not on any missions and I know you won't kill me in cold blood." 

"Thanks." Eliana's made up her mind. Poe's right. This is a great opportunity to get some practice in, some new skills. Plus, she'll be helping the Resistance more than she is sitting around at the base, lost in her own thought. She bounces on her toes excitedly. This is a chance she might never get again. 

"So?" Poe asks, anxious. 

"I'm in. When's my first flight?"

Poe smiles. "I like the energy, but keep this on the down low. We're already in hot water with the First Order, and don't want things getting worse. They've tracked us down before. They could do it again. Anyone could be listening, and anyone could be giving intel to the Order." 

Eliana understands, but one question nags at her. "If the First Order has eyes everywhere, how do we keep them from finding us out?" 

"No idea, but that's the fun of it. We find it out as we go," he says, a twinkle in his eye. "So, are you still in?" 

Eliana makes a face of mock contemplation, but she can't hold it for long. Excitement and eagerness starts to seep through. 

"I'm in."


	2. Cause for Celebration

Eliana takes off her helmet, revealing tangled sand-colored hair beneath. Hoisting herself up, she leaps out of the cockpit of her X-Wing. She is a burst of energy, unable to contain her excitement. They'd done it! Finally! After so much struggle, and betrayal, Lor San Tekka had finally been tracked down. 

She rips off her vest, still running on adrenaline. There's no need to worry about spies anymore. They'd done it. They'd done it. 

Theadosia Galaxin dashes over to Eliana, wearing Dustpar's trademark olive green jacket. The sleeves are far too long and they flap madly in the wind. "What happened?" the young girl asks, jumping up and down. "What did you find?" She tosses the jacket over to Eliana, who smiles down at her as she puts it on. 

A victory shout can be heard from Poe Dameron. He wraps his droid, BB-8, in a tight hug. His sheer joy could never be hidden. "We found him, buddy!" he cries, embracing the BB Unit even tighter. 

The small group of Resistance members who know of their mission forms around the Squadron's fighters. They all murmur excitedly amongst each other, but quickly silence themselves in respect as General Leia Organa steps forward.

"So? What did you find?" 

Poe walks towards her, beaming. "Jakku," he starts. "Lor San Tekka is on Jakku." 

Eliana turns to the side, spotting Jess Pava bolting in her direction, locking her in a tight embrace. Her fellow pilot sobs softly on her shoulder, whispering over and over, "We found him. We found him." A lone tear falls down Eliana's cheek. They'd grown so close on these few missions they'd spent together, and they've finally reached their goal. Theadosia spots the pilots and joins in on the hug.

There is a light tap on Eliana's shoulder. She whirls around to lock eyes with Tallie Lintra, Blue Leader. "I'm so proud of you, Dustpar," she says. "You've grown so much since you've flown with me. You had incredible potential, and I'm glad you've started to reach it." 

"Thank you," Eliana says, her heart full. "That's high praise coming from you. You're one incredible pilot." 

"I mean it, really." She rests her hands on Eliana's shoulder. "General Organa has asked to meet up with you and Dameron. Could you tell him for me? I don't know what she wants, but it must be good."

She nods. "On it." 

"Poe! Poe!"

Dameron swivels away from BB-8 and the others he's talking to. He smirks at Eliana, and jogs toward her. "You did good back there," he says, "very good. You used to play it so safe, and now you're finally taking some risks. I like that. I'm glad to have you on my team. Maybe someday you'll be almost as good as me."

Eliana smirks. "Someday. You did great. I've got some news though."

"Fire away." 

"Tallie told me Organa's got to talk to you and me. Either she's got a new mission for us, or she's found out you told me about the spy. I'd say it's about fifty-fifty." 

Poe's dark brown eyes roll. "Can't catch a break from her, can I? We already found out Muva was the spy. It's in the past now. Doesn't matter." 

Eliana's heart sinks slightly. Poor Muva. He was blackmailed by the First Order to be an informant on the Resistance, and he only wanted to keep his wife safe. As much as she hates the idea of a spy, she has to pity him somewhat. He was an honorable man. 

She sighs. "Yes, the past. Anyways, we should probably find are way to the General." 

"Right." 

The two X-Wing pilots begin their brief voyage to finding Organa. They walk by friends and those they consider family, getting an occasional hug or "congratulations." Suddenly, they pass an unfamiliar face. One with icy blue eyes, messy and curly brown hair, and a warm smile. Despite his young face, his eyes hold a sort of maturity behind them, one Eliana can't quite put her finger on. 

"Wonderful job," he says, in a voice soft and kind. "I'm sure Luke Skywalker will be found in no time, thanks to you." 

Eliana is instantly unsettled. Who is this man? Why hasn't she seen him before? He shouldn't know about their quest. It's been on the downlow for a while, now. Could he be a spy? Someone sent from the First Order sent to find them? Does anyone know he's here? Eliana could trust next to no one, not after her past. Not after... her. Despite her fear and doubt on the inside, she feigns gratefulness, saying, "Thank you. We appreciate the support." She tugs on the sleeve of Poe's leather jacket, and they hurry off.

"Who was that?" Eliana asks under her breath. 

"Haven't seen him before," Poe replies, "but I'm sure he's just a technician or something. Or a new recruit." He looks at Eliana's face and sees her concern. "No need to worry." He pushes her playfully. "Don't be so uptight. We can always ask Leia once we find her." 

"Sure..." Eliana says skeptically. She looks back to take a final glimpse at the man, but she can't find him. Strange... he was just there a minute ago...

She snaps out of her pondering as she walks straight into General Leia Organa. Poe stifles a grin, but it still peeks out on his face. Her cheeks grow red with embarrassment. 

"General, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean- I didn't mean to, I was just lost in thought and- and-" 

Leia shakes her head. Eliana stops stammering. "It's alright, I promise. No need to get worked up over it," she says gently. "I'm just glad to see the two of you. I have some business we must address." 

The pilots look at each other, hopeful with a bit of nervousness. They look back at the General. 

"Alright," Poe starts. "Let's get to it."


	3. A New Undertaking

"Follow me." 

Poe and Eliana walk behind the General as she leads them towards the command center, anticipating what will come next. Once they reach the inside, they settle down next to Leia at a table in the corner of the room. 

"Eliana," the former princess begins. "You're leaving the Black Squadron."

She jolts up, taken aback in shock. She'd only just joined! And so soon after they'd found San Tekka... "What? But I-"

Poe slams his fists down on the table. "General, I'm sure there's some misunderstanding-"

"Let me finish, Dameron." General Organa sighs and faces Eliana. "You're leaving the Black Squadron, because your skills are needed elsewhere. I'm changing your position to a spy." 

Eliana is stunned. What did Organa think she knew about espionage? All her life, she's strived to be a pilot. As a child, she'd heard the tales of the history of her homeland, when it used to be a hub for passing pilots. She used to stare up at the sky and see smuggling ships passing by and think someday, someday she'd be the one up there. And, luckily, she got the chance to be. Two years, flying for Star Tours, being a pilot she'd grown up idolizing. Two years, "living the dream." Then, the Resistance. She'd flown with Blue, and as of a few months ago, with Black. And now, Organa disregards all her past experience? She shoved her into a high-risk job she doesn't even understand? 

"General, all due respect, but you're making a mistake. I don't know anything about being a spy. I'm only good at flying, and that's the only thing I ever will be good at. I've only been with the Black Squadron for a few months now, but they've become like my family. I can't just abandon them and do... this. I would take the mission, but I don't think I'm the one." Eliana sighs, exasperated. She looks at Poe to see him stand by her, but he remains expressionless.

"I understand that this may be unfamiliar, but it's necessary. We need more relatively skilled pilots as spies. It will make everything run so much more smoothly." An empathetic look lines her face, wrinkled with age around her kind eyes from years of stress. "A lot of our spies are out of commission, and we need them out there now more than ever." 

"Understandable," Eliana says, "but I'm not the right person."

"I hear your concern, but I think otherwise. You're a fast learner, and I'm setting you up with a teacher. Vi Moradi, one of my top spies. She's been searching around the base for new blood, and she says you've got what it takes." Eliana is taken aback. She's been watched by some stranger, and didn't even realize it. 

"She's masterfully skilled, and I think you two have a lot in common," Leia continues. "Well, all three of you, actually." 

Poe looks up at the General, questioning. Her lips form a soft smile. 

"You're going to find Lor San Tekka yourself, as soon as possible. Now that you know his location, it's best that we get to him before the First Order even has the chance to go to Jakku. Vi will clue you in on some limited info on staying secretive, but you'll leave in that X-Wing of yours soon." 

Poe nods, overflowing with determination. "Of course, General. BB-8 and I have been ready. We won't let you down." He leaps to his feet, speeding off to go find his droid. 

Leia yells after him. "I didn't dismiss you, Dameron!" He jogs back to the table, staring at the ground to hide his face. 

Eliana struggles to focus on anything. Her head is filled with a swarm of questions. Why her? Who is Vi? Where is she going to go? What does the general exactly have in mind? 

"General, I'm still a bit lost. What missions will I be going on? And when am I going to meet this Vi Moradi? I still don't think that I'm right for this. After all, I'm a pilot."

"All will be revealed in time. Meaning, tomorrow morning. You meet at dawn with Moradi, right here, at this table, both of you," she says, pointing at the pilots. They nod in confirmation. 

She glares teasingly at Poe. "And by the way- I know you told Dustpar there was a spy in the Black Squadron." 

Poe tries his best to remain calm, masking his initial shock. "I don't know what you're talking about. She doesn't..." Leia smirks at him, eyebrow raised. Poe rolls his eyes and raises his hands in surrender. "Okay, fine, I told her. I had to. How did you know?" 

"Why else would she have been in the Squadron? Trust me, I wasn't born yesterday. I have my way of knowing these sort of things."

Poe and Eliana exchange glances, mouthing questions to each other. "Did you tell her?" Poe asks wordlessly, pointing agressively at Eliana on you and at the Resistance General on her. 

"No, of course I didn't! I told you she'd find out," Eliana mouths to Poe defensively. Why would she have said anything? It was the chance of a lifetime to fly with some of the best pilots in the entire Resistance. She'd never risk giving that up willingly. 

Watching their antics, Organa shakes her head playfully. She laughs to herself. "Now, Poe, you may go." 

He pulls on his leather jacket, climbing out of his seat once again. "I'll see you tomorrow, then, Dustpar." With a quick salute to the General, he dashes off. 

"You should be on your way as well. It's getting late, and there's lots of celebrating to be had." Leia touches her hand to Eliana's with a motherly gentleness. "You're a good pilot. Getting better with time. That's exactly why I need you to work with Vi. You've got the foundations to be great. All you need to do is be less stubborn and go reach for it." 

Eliana drifts her gaze down at the patches adorning her jacket. One reads "X-Wing Fighter." Another, a pilot's helmet. The Star Tours logo, reminding her of where she came from. The one that speaks to her most, however, is a bright orange Resistance emblem. The starbird's legacy hangs over her.

"I won't disappoint you." Eliana stands up from the table, and with a final goodbye, she's gone.

Watching the pilot walk off, Leia smiles a small smile. 

"I know you won't," she whispers to herself. "I know you won't."


	4. Lessons Learned

As the two moons begin to set and the one sun anticipates rising on D'Qar, Eliana sets out as prepared as she could be to meet Vi Moradi. She walks on the concrete pathway, taking in the beauty of the rolling green hills and the relatively emptiness of the base. During the day, it was normally bustling with people, droids, aliens, etc., but now it seems strangely calm. Serenely, Eliana shuts her eyes and inhales the crisp air. Calmness flows through her. She's not normally out this early, but now she sees how much she enjoys it. She feels connected with the sky, the grass, the base. One last moment of pure bliss before the business of the day begins. 

Eliana sighs happily. It's beautiful. She's getting close to the command center- and she still has plenty of time to spare. Maybe she'll just sit by her X-Wing and watch the sun rise. Spend some final moments as a pilot, before having to start her new mission. 

She walks over towards her fighter and casually leans up against the cool metal. The sun peaks out over the horizon, painting weak watercolors of orange around it. She'd always loved sunrises. Back on Batuu, her home planet, she used to wake up and stare out her window at the suns as they rose. It was a magnificent spectacle. The sky was always bright, shining with a whole palette of vibrant color. She'd let her gaze wander over to the Outpost in the distance, before it was bustling with smugglers and merchants. She was a carefree child- no worries of war, of deception. Free. The moment was serene, yet magical. In this moment, she feels that very same wonder again, heart full of nostalgia. 

"Enjoying the sunrise?" 

Eliana whips her head to the side, to see a beautiful woman with dark skin and short, wavy hair. She stands tall and proud, an air of confidence to her. 

"I'm Vi. Vi Moradi." She extends her hand toward Eliana, who takes it. 

"Eliana Dustpar."

"I know," Vi remarks. "I must admit: I wasn't expecting to see you here, though." 

"Yeah, just taking everything in before the day begins. I think I'll have a busy day ahead of me." Eliana has no clue what to expect for her training, other than it'll be unlike anything she'd ever done before. 

Vi's gold eyes have a playful glint to them. "Maybe," she says in a singsong voice. "Maybe not. We'll have to wait and see, won't we?" 

Eliana crosses her arms. She won't be getting anything out of her before they begin. "I guess we will. We should probably go to our meeting place. Don't want to leave Poe by himself." 

"He doesn't really strike me as the sunrises type." 

"No, he really isn't. Action oriented, definitely. He can't go ten minutes without wanting to blow something up." 

"I don't think that's a good way to speak of your authority," Vi teases. 

Eliana smirks. "No," she says, grabbing her backpack and getting ready to go. "But it's true." 

"Fair. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going." Vi walks backwards nonchalantly, waiting for Eliana to come with her. Just as Eliana nods and begins to walk, Vi turns around and ducks into a sprint towards the command center. Eliana jogs after her. What was that for? She advances into a run, trying to catch up. 

"Wait! Hold on!" Eliana yells. Her voice penetrates the silence that engulfed the base, but it's too late. Moradi had the head start- she was already practically inside. 

Finally, Eliana makes it into the base, gasping for breath. "What... why'd you do that?" she asks, panting.

"That's the first lesson, Eliana: be ready for anything." 

"I see that now. But couldn't you have just told me that instead?" It would have saved a lot of effort on her part. 

"I could have, but where's the fun in that?" Vi takes a seat at the designated table, and Eliana follows as suit. "Besides, you're more likely to learn something if you actually experience it. It sticks with you. You've got lots to learn, Dustpar." 

Eliana sighs in exasperation. She already knows that she has absolutely zero experience with spying- why rub it in her face? 

"What's with the sigh?" Vi questions, leaning in towards Eliana. The pilot remains stubborn and crosses her arms, leaning away. 

"Come on- you can tell me." Eliana mimes zipping her lips and throwing the key. She is already done with this and she's just started. 

"Eliana," Vi says seriously. "If we're going to work together, I have to know these things. I'm going to be teaching you all week, maybe even longer. You have to be comfortable talking with me about these kinds of things." 

Eliana rolls her eyes. "Fine. I just don't understand why I have to be the one to do this. I have no experience, not even the slightest idea of what I'm doing. And you rubbing in that in my face? It isn't exactly helping." 

Vi seems to be amused, chuckling to herself. "And that," she says, pointing at Eliana, "is lesson number two." 

Eliana's mouth falls open slightly, eyebrows lowered and pulling together. "What? But you asked!" 

"The problem is that you answered," Vi responds forcefully. "Never answer. Conceal your true thoughts, and don't tell anyone what they want to hear." 

"But I'm supposed to trust you! We're on the same side."

Vi snaps her fingers. "What if that's what I want you to think? I want you to believe that I'm with you, try to make you vulnerable, only so I can get what I want and turn on you in the end." 

"Ouch. That hit a little close to home." 

"Really? How so?" Vi ponders innocently.

Eliana opens her mouth to respond, but quickly shuts it, catching on. This is bait. She's trying to get answers. "I'd rather not say." 

"That's it. You're getting it. It'll take a while, but you're getting it. You were resistant. That's good, but you need to not let up no matter what anyone asks." 

Just then, Poe Dameron comes running in, sweat trickling down his face. He finds his way to the table and crashes into a seat next to Eliana. "You must be Vi Moradi." 

"I go by many names, but yes, that's one of them." 

Poe nods. "I'm Poe, but I'm sure you knew that already. Sorry, I was already running behind, I got caught up in some issues with Jessika, and-"

"What's wrong with Jess?" Eliana asks, somewhat concerned for her friend. 

"Huh? Oh, nothing with her, more with the T-70 starfighter. Damaged a cannon on the landing yesterday, we had to track down somebody to repair it, but not many people were awake." 

Eliana cringes. "Ooh, tough." 

"Yeah, but we got it sorted out. Anyways, I thought I was making good time, but once I got here, it seemed like you guys had already started." 

Vi glanced over at Eliana, then back to Poe. "No, no worries, we hadn't started yet. Some lessons just have to be taught at a given opportunity."

"Yes, of course," says Poe, not fully understanding. 

"Well?" asks Vi. "What are we waiting for, pilots? Let's get started!"


	5. Disrespect Towards Deceit

"Now tell me. Name?" 

"Iline Rasenfelt."

"Home planet?" 

"Hoth." 

"Age?"

Eliana can't remember her supposed age for her adopted identity, but she quickly makes one up on the spot. "Uh, 22."

Vi raises an eyebrow. "It's 23, but close enough. Again. New identities, both of you." She hands small cards completely covered with text. "You've got 20 minutes. I want you to have them completely memorized, inside and out. Not just name and age, but your goals, your family, your whole history. Go, go, go!" 

Poe sighs. "You've got to be kidding me." 

"Seriously," says Eliana. They've been drilling these sorts of activities all morning, and it's exhausting work. She groans, exaggeration coating her every movement, and begins to study her card. 

Frustrated with her students, Vi Moradi rolls her eyes "Did you actually think that this would be easy?" 

"No, I didn't," says Eliana, bitterly. "I figured this would be difficult seeing as I'm not a spy, no matter what you or Organa says. I'm a pilot." 

It would be an understatement to say that Eliana was still furious. Every moment spent studying this could've been spent learning how to maneuver better in her X-Wing. She can't stop thinking about how absurdly unfair it was that she has to give up everything to jump onto a random, not to mention dangerous, task. 

"Eliana, you've got to get over this. You may be a pilot, but right now, we need you learning from me."

"And why me, exactly?" Eliana asks. 

Poe looks over to her as if to say "calm down." Eliana boils with frustration. Even he isn't on her side. 

"You'll learn that when you take a mission you don't get all the details. You have to figure things out for yourself." 

It infuriates Eliana to no end how Vi isn't as heated as her. She remains levelheaded, if a bit stern. But she's always telling Eliana how she can learn more. It's like she's being treated like a child. She narrows her eyes. 

"I can't 'figure out' your thought process for myself. For whatever reason, my job has completely changed, and my lifestyle along with it. I can't even get a good explanation as to why."

"You'll get your explanation, but now isn't the time. Get back to memorizing your card," Vi says. "Please." 

Poe nudges Eliana in the arm. She turns to look at him. "She's right, you know. This is pretty time sensitive. My mission at least. I've got to get to Lor San Tekka as soon as possible, before the First Order does." Vi nods in approval, happy to have someone on her side. 

He leans a little closer to Eliana, and whispers in her ear. "Which is why I can't understand why I'm doing this. I could be halfway to Jakku right now."

Vi sighs, fed up with the trainees. They just don't understand the vitality of experience in this field. "Look, nothing is more important to you right now than you learning the ins and outs of being a spy. Poe especially, but the same goes for Eliana. Your experience as pilots is a key skill, and with my help, as long as you cooperate, you will be immensely pivotal to the outcome of this war. You'll be the some of the most prized members of the Resistance." 

"Sure," says Eliana. "But I don't exactly want to be one of the most important people in the whole Resistance. That's a pretty big burden to have, especially considering bounty hunters, troopers... the whole galaxy after me."

"That's why I'm here! To teach you how to handle these things." Vi puts emphasis on practically every word. "If you want me to teach you how to deal with being tracked down, hunted, captured, interrogated..." she shudders. "Trust me, I'll be the first to tell you. It's not all fun and games out there. People die. You, you may die. It's my job to tell you how to prevent that from happening, but if you don't..." Frustration adds a growl to her voice. "Just... just please work on memorizing these identities." 

Eliana and Poe immediately shove their notecards into their faces. Vi is done with playing. If Eliana doesn't listen, well, she's scared to see what would happen. She reads through the information repeatedly, running the false facts through her mind. Prida Wylk, Yavin, age 32, 6 brothers. She drills these words into her brain, making sure they'll stay nearly permanently. Occasionally, she'll spare a quick glance over at Poe, who stares intently at his card. 

"Time's up. Let's do this again." 

•••

Eliana breathes in deeply, trying to exhale her stress. Vi gifted her a brief break while she'd work exclusively with Poe. After all, he's meant to embark to find San Tekka on Jakku just tomorrow morning. For whatever reason, Eliana has a bad feeling about this. She knows that Poe can handle himself perfectly well on his own. Somehow, something about this mission makes her feel uneasy nonetheless. 

She stands, leaning up against a wall in the main outdoor area of the base. The vicinity is full of faces, mostly ones Eliana recognized. As she scans the crowd, one face stands out to her. There he is again. That man, that unfamiliar man from yesterday. He talks with a Twi'lek, although he seems somewhat disconnected from the conversation. Immediately, he turns his head and stares straight at Eliana, who in return breaks eye contact and glances away. Strange. It was so sudden, almost like he knew she was watching from afar. 

Eliana hurries away from her position, trying to remain inconspicuous. The midday sun beats down onto her back. Where to now? She could head back to Vi and Poe and resume her lesson. But what if they aren't ready for her yet? Whatever happens, it's probably best to keep her distance from him, whoever he is. 

"Hello there." 

She hears a voice from behind. One somewhat familiar, but still mostly alien. Most importantly, though, was that she knows that it's his.


End file.
